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The Umawad Dvnasty
Soon after
Ali's death, Mu'awiyah, the leader of the Umayyads claimed the caliphate.
Most Muslims, called the Sunnis, came to accept his rule. But the minority, known as the Shi'a,
or "party" of Ali, refused to do so. They believed that only people directly related to Muhammad
through his son-in-law Ali should be caliph. The split between the Sunnis and the Shi'a lasts to
this day.
Mu'awiyah put down a revolt by Ali's supporters. He held onto the role of caliph. He
also founded the Umayyad Dynasty. In 661, the Umayyads moved the capital of the Islamic
Empire from Mecca to Damascus, Syria. From there, the caliphs ruled the huge Muslim empire
for close to 100 years. To maintain control, they kept large armies posted at garrison towns (a
place where a group of soldiers is stationedfor defensive purposes).
Slowly, the lands of the Muslim empire took on more elements of Arab culture. Muslims
introduced the Arabic language to people throughout the empire. The widespread acceptance of
Islam and Arabic helped to unite the diverse people of the empire. In addition, Arabs took over
as top offrcials. People bought goods with new Arab coins. While the Muslims did not force
people to convert to Islam, some non-Arabs willingly became Muslims.
The Muslim empire continued to expand. The Umayyad caliphs sent armies into central
Asia and northwestern India. ln7ll, Muslim armies began their conquests of present-day Spain.
However, at the Battle of Tours in732, enemy forces under the Frankish king Charles Martel
turned the Muslims back in west-central France. This battle marked the furthest extent of Muslim
advances into Europe.
Muslims held on to land in Spain, where Muslim states lasted for almost 800 years.
Muslims in Spain built some of the greatest cities of medieval Europe. Their capital city,
Cordoba, became a center of learning. In this place of religious tolerance, Muslim, Jewish, and
Christian scholars shared ideas. Through their work, Muslim Spain made amazing advances in
arts, sciences, technology, and literature.
The Umayyad leaders established a system of taxation in order to afford many
government projects. Under this tax system all people in the empire were required to pay taxes,
however, the amount of tax paid varied depending on your religious affiliation. Arab* Muslims
paid the least amount of taxes. Non-Arab converts to Islam paid slightly more and non-Muslims
paid the most. The substantial income from the large Umayyad Empire enabled its leaders to
sponsor grand construction projects. Muslim engineers developed innovations in engineering,
including the building of canals and irrigation systems. Canals improved trade and agriculture by
increasing the amount of land that could be cultivated. Canals also improved transportation,
which had a positive impact on trade during the Umayyad era. Another type of construction
developed and perfected during the rule of the Umalyads was mosque construction. The
Umalyads had an enoffnous mosque built in the capital of Damascas. The result was a
magnificent structure, eclipsed in size and splendor only by a later building project - the
construction of the Dome of the Rock Mosque in Jerusalem. This mosque was built around the
rock where Muslims believe Muhammad was miraculously taken up to the heavens to meet with
God during the "Night Journey."
The taxation policies that allowed for the construction of these great government projects
eventually contributed to the downfall of the Umayyad Dynasty. Many devout Muslims were
disturbed by what they felt were overly luxurious and extravagant lifestyles of the Umayyad
rulers. Many felt that the wealth of the empire was misused by the rulers on selfish and worldly
pleasures that violated the rules of the Qur'an and Hadith. A man named Abbas emerged as a
leader of the dissatisfied Muslims in Khorasan, a Persian city located in modern day Iran. Abbas
united the many Muslim groups that were unhappy with the rule of the Umayyads. One such
group was the Persians, who had once ruled a huge empire of their own before being conquered
by the Muslim armies of Umar. The Persians resented their perceived secondary status in the
Umayyad empire, especially since their faith, Islam, required that everyone be treated equally.
Abbas also appealed to Shi'a Muslims, who supported the idea that the Umayyads had been
caliphs unjustly since the rule of Mu'awiya.
The conflict between the disgruntled Muslim citizens and the Umayyads came to a head
in747 C.E. when the Abbasids (as the followers of Abbas were called), revolted against
Damascus. After three years of battle the Abbasids defeated the Umayyads in 750 C.E. thus
beginning the era of Abbasid rule.
*Arab
someone who can trace their ancestry to the tribes of tlte Arabian Peninsula , whose
Jirst language is Arabic, and who follows the traditional culture of the Arabian Peninsula.
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lsla,Iro lanos at Muhamm.tcl s deailt. 632
lerntory aclded. 63il-661
Territory arlded, 662-750
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